Servants of the Black God
by Mellyrian
Summary: Post Blackveil. Karigan has taken a beating, but her problems aren't over. Westrion knows vulnerability must be reinforced and he refuses to have his Avatar face the coming troubles alone.
1. Chapter 1

**Servants of the Black God**

**Photograph Courtesy of: The Louvre Museum, Paris. "Odysseus blinding sleeping Polyphemus 500 B.C."**

**Disclaimer(s): Please forgive my bad grammar and muddled sentence structure, I am without a Beta. Major Blackveil spoilers ahead. These characters belong to the lovely Kristen Britain.**

Chapter 1

"The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom."—Art of War, Sun Tzu

A man walked the dim streets, his passage earning barely a glance from the late night merchants. His clothes were dark and he kept to the shadows, a habit developed in his youth and only enhanced by the past few years.

His life had been dramatically changed when he'd been recruited to the Black Shields. Fastion smiled at the memory. He had been a tall lad, but skinny for the lack of reliable meals. Anyone could enlist in the Shields. Most didn't make it, but it was their lack of skill, not lack of fortune or family connections that was the determining factor. Poor and underfed, Fastion couldn't pass up the opportunity to better his life. Now he had all the food he could want and a small house at the edge of the city. His monthly pay could afford something much better, but he spent so little time out of the castle, it wasn't worth buying a bigger home. Plus, he couldn't stomach the thought of living next to one of the pompous nobles, some of whom don't think twice about kicking child-beggars out of their way. He had once been one of those children.

It was a very dark night; low visibility masking the city's dirtiness and making it appear like something out of a children's faery tale. Most of the taverns had been built with their windows to the King's Way and they offered scant light for such smaller streets that he now traversed. Even from these relatively peaceful streets, he could hear the noise made by some of the rowdier taverns. As he left the market district, he neared two women talking. He was about to pass them when he heard what the plump one was saying, "I swear it's the ghost of an ex-soldier, she keeps calling out for the king. Once she even said Zachary, like she knew the man personally!"

This made him pause. Many strange things had happened recently. He remembered the ghosts of the records room and how they had been trying to warn of the Second Empire's activity within the castle. Stepping out of the shadows, Fastion stopped in front of the woman. "Where did you hear this?" It was more demand than question and the woman looked paralyzed at his threatening appearance. He gentled his voice a little and explained, "I'm in service to King Zachary, you must take me to this place." The woman's eyes were wide, but she nodded slightly and with his hand on her arm to move her into motion, the woman walked towards the backdoor of a shoddy inn. From the looks, there were no patrons this night. Once inside, they walked down a dark hall and into a private room. It looked fancier than the rest of the building and Fastion thought it must be for higher paying guests. Then he heard the moaning. It seemed to be coming from the floor. Hand outstretched, he bent down to examine the stone work. He knocked in several places and found that one piece of granite sounded oddly hollow. After another moment, a faint "please…" emanated from beneath his hand.

"Get a long piece of strong wood." The woman looked at him like he was mad. "NOW!" No doubt she thought him crazy for chasing a ghost. Pulling his sword, he began to hit the edges of the stone with the hilt to loosen the heavy thing from its position. When the woman returned, he used the wood and his knee to lever and lift the weight. Once the granite was lifted, he easily slid it across the floor to reveal the space beneath. Fastion peered through the dust and saw the faint figure of a woman. He wasn't sure what he expected to find, a corpse perhaps or a magical artifact, but he hadn't expected to recognize it. There lay the Knight Karigan G'ladheon, features foggily transparent. Fastion had seen her like this once before, yet it was still disconcerting to see his friend as a ghost of herself. Her eyes were shut and again she moaned.

"Karigan, can you hear me?" He was reluctant to touch her until she was solid again. Her head turned towards him and she croaked out his name in response. He continued, "You're alright, but you have to stop using your ability." Puzzling her brow in confusion, she looked down, then in understanding she brushed her hand across her broach.

He sighed in relief when she became solid and started to rise (too quickly in his opinion). The effort made her look faint and he had to reach out to steady her. Turning to the plump woman, he asked, "Do you have a cart?" She looked startled that he'd spoken to her, and he could feel himself growing impatient.

Eventually she said, "No sir, the wheel's broken and all we have is the horse…" She trailed off.

"Take us to the stable."

As the three hurried off, his mind rushed to think of all the possibilities surrounding Karigan's sudden appearance. Since the equinox, they'd had no news of the expedition's progress. Now that she was here, he needed to get her to the king as soon as possible.

The plump woman was frustratingly slow while preparing the horse's bridle. Karigan looked like she might pass out and he wondered how severe her injuries were. She was unsteady on her feet and she cradled her arm as if it had been broken. There was also a lot of blood on her torn clothing, but whether it was her own or her enemy's, he did not know. When the plump woman fumbled to get the saddle, he said they'd ride bareback.

The hooves thundered against the cobblestones as they tore out onto the street. Old, but surprisingly strong, the horse didn't have a problem with their combined weight. Karigan sat in front of him and he worried at how she slumped. Urging the horse to go faster, he aimed for the shortest route possible. The city's night life blurred as they wound through multiple alley shortcuts. The local people, accustomed to horses moving quickly through these small areas, got out of Fastion's way when they heard the horseshoes clattering on the cobblestones.

Galloping through the main gate, he didn't slow the borrowed horse until they reached the entrance of the Palace. Dismounting, they hurried to find the king. Karigan was keeping up with his trot, but he noted her obvious fatigue and the pain whenever she moved. On the way to Zachary's suite, he stopped and quietly asked Brienne to notify Healer Ben that Karigan would need his attention before the night was over. The Green Rider in question had been silent since he'd found her, but he wasn't concerned at the lack of information, he'd undoubtedly discover the pertinent details soon enough.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Her wrist felt like it was being stabbed and she wanted to go to the mending wing, but she remained quiet and followed Fastion. She reasoned with herself that a mended wrist wouldn't be very useful if Mornhaven attacked them without warning. The idea was more of a nightmare that plagued the young woman, but if such an attack became reality, it could wipe out everything. They were already limited when it came to fighting the ancient evil and now that he was wounded, he seemed more dangerous and unpredictable in Karigan's mind. If suffering one more hour of pain would help get Sacor City defensible, then she would willingly put up with it.

They continued into the plushly carpeted royal wing. There was a weapon at the door that she didn't recognize, but he spoke with Fastion and she was ushered through the entrance. Fastion gave her one of his rare, tight lipped smiles before disappearing behind the closing door. Inside sat the King and Captain Mapstone with their heads bent in quiet conversation. Walking across the marble floor, her footsteps echoed loudly enough to announce the late-night company.

"Karigan!" her captain yelled and half rose from her seat in alarm. The King remained in his seat and stared at her in shock. Suddenly, she was aware of her ruined clothing. She hadn't thought of it until now because Fastion hadn't seemed to mind. However, this company was entirely different than the weapon. How long had it been since she had properly washed herself? She had become used to the dirt and smell of stale sweat, but no doubt it was an unpleasant assault on every clean person in her proximity. Her reluctance and embarrassment were overruled by a sense of urgency and she stood as tall as she could to state, although doing increased the ache in her leg, "Majesty, I am here to report."

Returning from his stasis of silence and shock, Zachary nodded and told her to sit across from them. Steeling herself for the following discussion, she began with the most crucial update, "Mornhaven is back." They all knew this would happen eventually, but the words were like a physical blow. She quickly proceeded to tell them about entering the forest, the first attack coming from the flesh eating hummingbirds, and the almost immediate death of Private Porter. She tried to keep the gory details to a minimum, but as she spoke the images flashed vividly in her mind. When she had to recount their experience at Telavalieth, she faltered for a moment. She remembered Hanna, the kind healer, and how she had been pulled screaming into the ruins. The tale went on.

The dank memories of the forest seemed so real as she recalled them, that she didn't even notice when her voice slipped into a rhythmic cadence to match the passing of time. When she started telling about the entrance into Argenthyne, she lost all traces of her 'professional messenger' tone. Her words came out soft and her eyes took on a bottomless quality, as if she was lost in the memory of the timeless place. She didn't notice the concern on her captain's face, or the uncomfortable shift of Zachary as he watched her eyes transform.

"It was Ealdaen's home and he led us into their queen's city. The streets and buildings curved with an endless quality and walking through them gave the feeling of immense loss. As we passed, I heard the city talking like whispering mourners. We arrived at the sleeper's grove, but it had been tainted by Mornhaven's presence. Here we were attacked, we had little warning and before we knew what was happening, a groundmite's arrow had slipped past Graelalea's armor." The immensity of what was to happen next made Karigan's mind slow and her words came out carefully and she unconsciously touched the feather still tucked into her braid. "As she was dying, Graelalea gave me back some of my memory that had been locked away by Laurelyn, an _enmorial_ only to be used at the proper place and moment."

Clearly wanting to ask something, Lauren was about to interrupt, but Zachary stopped her with a shake of his head. Unaware of this interaction, Karigan continued to tell of Ard's assassination attempt, as if she couldn't stop until the story was over, Karigan went on to tell them of Laurelyn and her aid of the sleepers' journey back to the Elt Wood. As she told of the mirror man and his mask, Karigan's eyes cleared and she finally took notice of the two watching her intently. Captain Mapstone was obviously concerned, but Zachary's face held no expression at all.

"Yates is dead and I have no idea what happened to the others." With this conclusion, Karigan pulled her pained arm to her chest and slumped back into her chair. She was so tired, all she wanted was to sleep.

Captain Mapstone's voice broke through her reverie, "Karigan, how seriously are you wounded?" From the look on Captain Mapstone's face, she had wanted to ask that for a while. Karigan looked down, there was some fresh blood that had seeped through her uniform from the cuts made by the broken mask, but not enough that would tell of a deadly wound.

"My wrist is broken, I have some minor cuts", she responded and with a grimace, "I think my leg has been infected for weeks." All the evaleoren and other Eletian medical supplies had been lost with Hanna. Much had occurred since that day in Telavalieth.

"Is there anything else you need to tell us that cannot wait until tomorrow?" That was the king.

At first, his airy voice seemed inviting and Karigan wanted nothing more than to be able to talk to him about simple, everyday things. She couldn't remember a time when they had been able to talk on a personal level. Their conversations had always been about the country's welfare. On those long nights when she was in Blackveil, she'd had too much time to think about their history and she'd begun to doubt if they knew each other at all. The love he had professed might just some ideal he'd created in his head. Could he really know what she was like? She looked towards that honey voice hoping for confirmation, but there was none of the usual comfort in his gaze. Instead, his eyes were flat and closed. It took her a moment before she realized it was a hint of wariness that she saw. Was he just on guard because of the news she'd brought or was this new wariness because of her?

"Karigan?" He sounded unsure.

"Um…" She had to gather her thoughts, "No, that is most of it."

"Then you are free to go." She nodded her ascent and pulled her stiff body out of the chair. Captain Mapstone rose with her and opened the door. "Steven? Fastion? Would one of you escort my rider to the mending wing?" There was a murmur of agreement and she ushered Karigan out the door. As she departed, Captain Mapstone gave her a look that promised further questioning in the future. Karigan didn't care. She was exhausted and very relieved that she would have a real bed to sleep in. Her mission was complete. At the moment, she was very content to let others handle the responsibility of Mornhaven.

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

After a murmured word, Steven nodded to Fastion and opened the door to allow the Lady Knight into the Royal Apartments. Few would have such blatant trust from the Black Shields, but Karigan had proved herself to have the best interests of the kingdom at heart. After she disappeared into the apartments, Fastion stood guard on the other side of the door. He was off duty, but with Karigan's tract record for dangerous message errands, there was bound to be something that would require his attention before the night was over. He also wanted to make sure she was ok.

When he'd first seen her, his hope soared. In the past few months, the King's strategists and generals had numerous discussions about what their chances were against Mornhaven, should he return. None of them sounded very positive to Fastion. Burke's threat had been nothing compared to Mornhaven at full strength. This was not even considering if he had an army. The Black Shields kept records dating back to the long war and many of the older lores were wrought with impressions of Mornhaven's single-handed terror. So when he found Karigan lying there, alive and breathing, it had given him a ray of hope. She he had faced the evil multiple times and was, albeit miraculously, still alive. It meant that they still had a chance against this overwhelming power which seemed intent on crushing their country. So here he stood, waiting for her, because he knew that if she was still alive, then they still had a fighting hope. He needed to make sure she was ok.

As if triggered by his thoughts, wing beats broke the silence of the corridor and Fastion's body was filled with tension. This experience had happened once before. Part of the acceptance ceremony into the Black Shields is a test of their patron god. It had not been so many years since his initiation that he'd forgotten the feeling of being filled and taken over. There was the same rhythmic pounding that resonated through his body, as if his blood's regular habits were swept away in the power that was coming towards him.

"My faithful servant", the greeting echoed inside his head. It was a slightly painful experience, but he remained calm and still, aware that his fellow weapon Steven and any passersby would only hear Westrion's words if the god desired it. He kept his head bowed in reverence until a powerful hand compelled his chin up, tilting until his nearly black eyes met the bottomless globes in Westrion's face. Their intensity drew him and he felt as if he was falling through the universe. There were lines everywhere, every color imaginable, shooting around, splitting and joining together. They seemed to represent individual life and potential, all bursting with complex chaos and speed that nearly overwhelmed the weapon. Finally, they drew closer to a particular plane of lines and stopped next to a long green strand. This line didn't seem to have a direct path like the others it intertwined with, yet despite its seeming randomness, it remained thick and bright.

Following the line, Westrion placed a series of images in Fastion's head. Karigan was prevalent in each of these scenes, and it seemed fitting that her line would be the one that was so unpredictable and luminous. He witnessed her standing up to several school yard bullies and then fighting a huge crab-like creature. Next she rode at a break neck speed, branches slashing her face as she went through the thick forest; then speaking to a tall woman whom he recognized as the First Rider. He witnessed her first confrontation with Mornhaven and then Zachary's heartfelt, but ultimately fruitless admission of love. With uneasiness, Fastion noticed how Karigan's once bright life-line suddenly didn't seem as fiery as it had before. He once again worried about the Rider.

"So you have noticed." Westrion's statement was in his head, as if they were his own thoughts. The god proceeded to flash a continuum of events and information through the Black Shield. Scene after scene played and eventually he saw one of her riding Salvistar. Instantly he understood the implication: that this was no ordinary King's messenger. Despite those incredible things she'd survived, Fastion had never dreamed she was close to the gods. Yet it made sense, hadn't he been thinking of her as the country's hope? Remembering her connections to the dead, it was only logical that she was serving the Black God. The events kept streaming past. Many of them were in Blackveil. Each time Karigan was hurt in some way, the line that represented her life would wan and weaken. Westrion's voice sounded once again in his head, "She is important to a certain line of events and her life's strand must remain vibrant and strong, for if it is dim and weak, it will surely break in the next few months. She needs protection, not only from enemies, but from some friends as well. You have served me well and I have chosen you to be her companion. Protect and help her, and your country will get through this time of difficulty."

At that, Fastion was returned to his body standing in the corridor. Just then, the door opened.

"Steven? Fastion? Would one of you escort my rider to the mending wing?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ben, who she was surprised to find had replaced Destarion as the new Head Healer, was none too pleased by her condition. In his opinion, she should have been immediately transported to the mending wing once she'd arrived on the castle grounds. He let out his frustration by muttering how the infection had been spreading and could have killed her. When she asked if he could fix it, he was indignant, "Of course I can fix it, but you should not be so foolhardy and the King could have listened to your report just as easily in here as in his apartments. There was no need…" He continued muttering and Karigan thought that he looked tired. His new responsibilities must be weighing heavily on him. To insure she rest properly, he made her spend the night in the mending wing. Not that she minded. The hospital bed was incredibly soft, at least compared to Blackveil's root-filled ground, and before she knew it, she was waking up to the soft rays of dawn peeking through the glass. After promising to stay on relatively light duty, Ben checked her over once more and said she was free to go.

Not thinking about the bad state of her uniform, she'd insisted on wearing her own clothing out of the mending wing. But as soon as she entered the main corridor and began receiving disapproving looks, she knew she should have had a new set delivered to the infirmary. The 'Blackveil Uniform' was torn, stiff, and flaking some kind of dried muck. The first thing she would do was take a bath and change into proper rider clothing. It had been so long since she'd been in civilization; she'd simply forgotten that appearance mattered. For the rest of the hurried walk to her room, she felt extremely underdressed amongst the other bustling servants and nobility.

She had hoped to pay Condor a visit, but it was only after she had taken a long, gloriously warm soak in the bath and returned to her room when she remembered that Condor wasn't there. He was still at the wall. Karigan could go ask Captain Mapstone what duty needed tending to, but no doubt she would send a Green Foot runner if Karigan was needed.

Not entirely sure what to do with herself, she stood contemplating her room. The late morning light drifted through the window to illuminate an indent on her pillow and white cat hairs clinging to the fabric. She was glad that her unexpected friend continued to use the space in her absence. After all that had happened, everything here was the same. It was strange, standing in this space that seemed so familiar and yet very far away, as if it belonged to another set of memories. It could belong to any Green Rider. This room, small and overcrowded with secondhand furniture, was comforting in its own way.

It was then she noticed the letters sitting atop her dresser and the feeling of comfort began to dissipate slightly. Walking closer, she was glad to note all three letters were still there. She was glad that she had returned alive. She was glad that none of the people she cared about would have to read a letter and mourn her loss. Not wanting to look at the letters anymore, Karigan strode out the door. She didn't have anywhere in particular to go, but the sun was shining and the fresh air would feel wonderful after all those months spent in the dark.

As she exited the castle, she instinctively headed towards the pastures. Even though Condor wasn't there, she would still enjoy watching the horses. It was mid-summer and the long, dry grass looked golden in the abundant light. She picked a nice pine tree that offered her a good view and lay against the rough bark with a sigh of pleasure. The grass sprouted all around, creating a nice little niche where she could watch the horses graze lazily in the sun. The scene was so peaceful that she didn't notice as sleep slowly overcame her.

*o*o*o*o*o*o*

Walking through the various fields, Lauren Mapstone eventually found her rider's sleeping form at the edge of the forest. Karigan looked so relaxed that the captain hated to disturb her rest, but duty called and the King wanted a professional report with all of his advisors present. Karigan would have to tell about her experiences in Blackveil many times over, before Drent or Patton would be satisfied that they knew all the details. With all of the old advisors dismissed, Lauren being the only exception, Zachary convinced the Arms Master and the old General to give up their normal routine and stand by his side as counselors.

After rousing Karigan, they soon found themselves in the throne room. High on the dais, the King and Queen sat on their thrones with Drent and Patton flanking them like an honor guard. Aware that this was the first time Karigan had seen the married couple together, Lauren watched her reaction closely. However, with only an initial flicker of emotion on her face, Karigan carefully composed herself and walked towards her monarchs. Lauren was twice relieved when she noticed Zachary also had his thoughts hidden behind his king's mask. Hopefully this meeting would go smoothly.

As Lauren had predicted, Karigan had to repeat many parts of her story. Patton and Estora asked the most questions, but Drent still interjected every now and again. "Girl, stop talking in circles. What is this Moon Dial? You've mentioned it twice and have made no sense." Drent was sharp and direct by nature, but Lauren thought he sounded much more patient than usual. She wondered if he was making the effort because he was fond of Karigan. The Weapons did hold her in a high esteem. Or maybe it was because she had survived Blackveil and he saw it as a reflection that she had used his training well. Contemplating the curiosity of Drent being kind, she almost missed another one of Karigan's explanations.

"A moondial is an old Eletian tool. I saw two while I was in Blackveil and both seemed to be connected to the remnant magic in the area. The first one allowed the layers of the world to fade away and I saw Mornhaven the Black when he was just beginning to attack Eletia during the long war. What was dangerous about this moondial was that Mornhaven could see me too and if he had managed to grab ahold of me, then I might have been stuck in his time." Lauren shuddered at the thought and silently applauded Karigan. She was particularly gifted at getting herself out of sticky situations. More presently, she was managing quite well to give a detailed, concise report without giving too much information about the riders' magical gifts. Like the King's advisors before them, Drent and Patton both knew that the green riders had special abilities, but they didn't know the nature or the extent of the magic behind them. Drent may know more than most, but Lauren still wanted to keep it as secret as possible.

Karigan's report took several hours and they had to stop once for a dinner break. When she resumed speaking of Laurelyn and of Mornhaven's sudden return, Lauren found she was better able to concentrate and began thinking of what they would have to do to prepare for the impending attack. Elgin was right, they needed to refocus the rider training on defensive and combative skills, rather than on etiquette. Lauren gazed at her rider, who was telling Estora and the advisors how Fastion had found her, and thought that she could be useful in helping train the more inexperienced riders. Lauren had sent a rider this morning to retrieve the messenger horses from the wall, but it would still be a few weeks before Condor returned. If Karigan was unable to go on messenger runs, then she might as well be used to pass her experience on to other riders.

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

Once in the rider common room, she allowed herself to sink heavily into a chair. When a group of young riders came in, she greeted them and asked for news. By the looks of things between Zachary and Estora, it was quite possible that they were married, but she had to know for sure. It hadn't taken much for her to get the "green greenies" talking about the events since the spring equinox. They enthusiastically relayed the past few months, as if they had enjoyed the excitement so much that they wanted to relive it through the telling. It was hard hearing them talk so freely about Zachary's injury and his consummation of the marriage with Estora. It may be juicy gossip to them, but it was much more personal for her. While listening to the eager youth, Karigan tried to hide the emotions that were caused by their story. When they claimed they had told her everything, she thanked them and shooed them off to their beds.

Now that she had the safety of solitude, she allowed herself to feel the sadness and the anger.

She was angry with herself for getting attached to someone who would never be hers. Zachary had once professed that he loved her, but it clearly wasn't enough to make him fight for her. By the sounds of it, he didn't even protest the deathbed marriage. To give him the benefit of the doubt, she would assume he'd allowed this to preserve Estora's honor. Regardless of the reason, the whole situation left her feeling forlorn.

She knew it was better that nothing had transpired between Zachary and herself. It would just have dragged her into a political turmoil and drama was the last thing she needed in her life. If she allowed herself to admit it, the real reason for her sadness was not the loss of Zachary. It was the idea that she was alone and would never find someone who could love her. She wanted someone to look at her the same way her father had once looked at her mother, as if she was cherished. It was a silly thought, but recent events had made her uncharacteristically insecure. She remembered the way Zachary looked at her in the Royal Apartments. That trepidation, as if she was something unsound or even dangerous.

Was he spooked by her association with Laurelyn and Mornhaven? She was only too aware that most people would be spooked by her magical ability, let alone the "adventures" she'd survived. She supposed there was always arranged marriage. An arrangement with another strong merchant family would make her clan happy, but it had a major problem as well. If she ever did manage to court and marry one of her father's associates, then she'd probably have to skirt around many of her experiences in the King's service. She didn't want to have to lie about herself, it just seemed wrong.

Not wanting to think about these glum things anymore, she stood. Grabbing the bucket of water next to the hearth, she quenched the dying fire.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Days passed and for the second morning in a row, she found herself out on the practice fields. As the sun was rising above the eastern hills, Karigan had to grind her teeth to keep from barking at the younger riders. She never thought she would be as bad as Drent, but at the moment she was sorely tempted to use some of his techniques. It was only her second day of arms training with the new riders and already she had been able to pin the ones who weren't putting in their full effort. It was only one week, she had to remind herself, and then Arms Master Gresha would be assigning someone else to this task. The thought was bolstering: one week and then these new riders would be someone else's problem. With this positive outlook, she called the riders together. This beginning drill was very basic and after explaining it, she told them to pair up and practice. Some of the riders were better than others, but many of them looked awkward swinging their wooden practice blades. Not long after they paired off, Karigan noted a pair of them that had stopped sparring in favor of watching something in the distance. She had to yell to get their attention.

"This is serious!" She let out with exasperation. "Something you learn here could save your life within the next few months."

Teaching was much more frustrating than Karigan had imagined. Though, it's possible that this group was just extremely difficult. There was one girl, Karigan reminded herself that her name was Anaya, that seemed more content to flirt with the boys than on learning how to defend herself. Karigan didn't mind if the girl didn't take it seriously, because it's her own skin she was putting on the line. It was that her antics distracted the group and made their first lesson far less productive than Karigan had planned.

Then there was Weston. Karigan grimaced at the memory of their encounter the previous day. He is skilled enough and is older than most new riders, but he is anything but professional. He had made a game of coming up behind her and whispering suggestive things in her ear. One comment had been particularly lewd and as a form of punishment, she called him to 'help' demonstrate a new move, one where you knock your opponent off their feet. She was easily able to knock him over and watched him hit the ground with a satisfying thump. The bruising however didn't seem to deter him, because at the beginning of today's practice, he had the audacity to wink at her.

Her memory of that disastrous first lesson was broken by a distinctly male voice, "Everything alright?" She turned to see Fastion walking towards her.

Withholding a sigh of resignation, she explained, "With arms master Gresha taking over Drent's training sessions, she doesn't have time for her normal duties. It'll be a few more days before they get another trainer to fill the space. That leaves me to deal with this." Karigan waved her hand at the ragtag group playing with their wood swords.

He was silent a moment before offering, "I could help you."

She hadn't expected that. He was usually so busy with his normal duties, Karigan hated to bother him with something as trivial as rider training. They had known each other for years and they would always greet each other when passing in the corridors, but they didn't know each other very well. She'd rather not have such an accomplished warrior observing her blunder around with the training group. She'd rather keep his respect. Her response was a fit fumbled, "I don't want to take up your time. You have duties protecting the King..."

He walked to the practice swords, lifting one up and inspecting it with a critical eye. Turning back to her, he smirked at her hesitance. "I am not the King's only guard you know."

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

What he wasn't telling her was that he had switched his work schedule around so he could spend more time with her. It wasn't hard. Over the past five years he hadn't taken a single vacation, so now his supervisors were quite willing to let him have some extra free time.

Plus, when he told Addison about his contact with the god, the old man had ordered him to drop as many as his guard shifts as possible, without making anyone suspicious. He'd been adamant that the timing of Westrion's appearance was significant. The old man's voice was solemn as he assured the younger Weapon, "A major event is about to take place. Our people must be observant and ready to act. If the god has ordered you to guard that woman, then you'll have to closely follow her daily activities. Be discreet. We don't know what other powers are at play."

Fastion didn't know what role Karigan was to play in the coming months, but it was obviously crucial for Westrion to order him to watch over her wellbeing. He supposed that included happiness as well as physical protection. Fastion didn't know how he could help with the first, but he would make sure that she was safe. He'd ensure this at all costs.

Fastion wondered how she would take his sudden and near constant presence. Karigan was more comfortable with the Black Shields than most, but Fastion was aware how often he unnerved people. He hoped she would accept his proximity. With practice swords in hand, he walked back to Karigan. She still looked reluctant, as if she hated bothering him.

The young riders had stopped their practicing to stare at him warily. There were many rumors about his kind, not all of them unjustified, and he was sure these innocents had heard most of them. When Karigan noticed that they'd stopped practicing, she ordered them back to work. One of the girls jumped at the command and they all hastened back to their sparring as if they'd been threatened with some horrible punishment. They suddenly seemed much more intent on learning their sword maneuvers. Fastion watched Karigan watching the change in behavior. She looked bemused and when she looked back to him, she admitted, "I think you're presence is going to make this much easier".

The lesson progressed smoothly once the trainees were taking it seriously and Karigan proved to be an effective arms teacher. She was firm, but never mocked their ignorance or lack of skill. Fastion watched on in silent approval. After a time she told them to halt and turned to him, "Will you help demonstrate the upper-cross sequence?"

It was a simple dance, but was often used to help get people used to the basic movements of the sword. Just nodding, he stepped forward and initiated the sequence at a fast pace. She met his advance, not complaining at the quickened steps. The point of the exercise was to get the body used to quick and sometimes awkward motion. When it was complete, she raised her sword again and said, "Now slower. They actually need to understand what we're doing." Looking up at him, her lips quirked with a hint of a smile. The new riders were now circled around with interest and the pair advanced on each other. Step by step she explained the movements to the trainees, and then set them off to practice it in pairs.

When the sun reached the middle of the sky, Karigan called, "That's enough for today. Take the equipment back to the sheds and we'll meet again tomorrow morning."

She stood next to Fastion and watched as the group slowly walked away. Many of them moved stiffly and he knew they would be sore that evening. Karigan explained, "They're extremely out of shape. My Captain wants them working two and a half hours a day."

"It'll be good for them."

She nodded and admitted, "She's worried about the upcoming conflicts. They'll only have a few weeks to prepare before they're sent out on the road and then they'll have to face everything on their own."

When she began walking towards the sheds, Fastion followed. He looked at the new riders and knew that if they were confronted with any real conflict that most would not make it. There was only so much you could teach someone with little talent and experience. Quietly he told her, "It's likely that some will die."

She grimaced at the remark, but had to agree, "Green Riders don't have the longest life expectancy, especially during wars."

"Then they are lucky to have such a teacher."

She laughed uncharitably at herself and turned the tables on him, "Then you'd better keep coming to these lessons, otherwise I will never get them to behave long enough to learn."

"All right," he agreed nonchalantly. His easy agreement clearly surprised her, but she seemed pleased enough by the answer.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As the week went on, the new riders made progress. With proper training, Karigan thought some of them would turn into descent swordsmen. After the first few lessons, Cale especially began to show some true potential with the blade. Then there was Weston, who often used his bigger body and greater strength to overpower his opponents. Karigan knew it wasn't the best tactic, but she was just happy that he was improving and that he'd stopped being inappropriate during their sword lessons. That of course didn't stop him from making the occasional comment when he saw her in the common room, but it was easier to brush him off at those times. The castle was a big place and when his attentions became too annoying, she could easily loose him.

One afternoon, she and Mara were walking through the corridors on their way to dinner. The next day was Teagan's birthday and they were planning a big celebration down in the city. They had their heads bent so they could conspire without being overheard. Mara insisted that they go to the Cock n' Hen, claiming that she could get them a good deal on a full barrel of the bitter ale that made the shoddy establishment so well known. Karigan was about to protest and insist they should go somewhere nicer, when a thick arm dropped around her shoulders. Startled, she looked up and saw with dismay that the arm belonged to Weston, who was grinning at her in a self-satisfied way. Karigan could only frown in return. Mara looked between the pair and had to raise her hand to keep from giggling. With a voice full of mischief, she said, "I have somewhere to be. See you later Karigan." And like that she disappeared between the masses of people moving through the big corridor.

"Good, now we can have some quality time." He grinned sloppily. She felt like she was going to be sick. He continued speaking, "You were headed to dinner weren't you? Well I'm famished." He patted his slightly round belly and Karigan couldn't help grimacing when the fat giggled.

She removed his hand and slid smoothly out of his reach, so he couldn't reattach himself to her person. Thinking quickly of any excuse, she blurted, "No." He looked at her oddly and she continued, "Captain Mapstone has me running errands for her. Really busy I am. No time for dinner, but you go and enjoy your meal." And before he could protest she turned and briskly walked off. She didn't want to make it seem as if she was running away, but she also didn't want him to catch up. Just in case he was following, she rushed down a series of smaller corridors. Not wanting him to find her alone in an empty passageway, she opened the first door she saw and ducked inside. Sliding in and quickly shutting the door behind her, she leaned back against the wood to slow her beating heart.

The room was silent and she thought she was alone. Then she heard the sound of creaking wood. Realizing that she was definitely not the only occupant, she reluctantly opened her eyes to see which administrator she'd just disrupted. Instead of some clerk or servant, she found herself being scanned by a table full of solemn, high ranking weapons. Papers were strewn across the large wooden table and they looked on edge at the intrusion. Whatever she had just interrupted, they obviously didn't want an outsider to know about it. She opened her mouth, but shut it again when she couldn't find anything appropriate to say.

It was Dren't impatient voice that broke the silence, "Well girl, is there a reason why you're in a restricted room?"

Restricted room? Oh boy. "Uh, sorry. Someone was following me and I just ran to the first place I saw…" Her voice trailed off as she saw his look. He was clearly unimpressed by the significance of that story. She didn't think he would be impressed by any story she could come up with.

A scratchy voice broke through the silence. "Drent, your ways with women never cease to amaze me."

"This is a closed meeting."

"Ah, but Miss G'ladheon is not your everyday intruder." From the table rose an old man. His face was weathered and deeply creased. His back stooped and he seemed no longer able to stand fully upright. Despite his bent figure, he was still a big man. Walking up to her, he reached out and his hands engulfed both of hers. His eyes met hers and she had the strange sense that he knew what was wrong. But how could that be?

The next thing he said took her by surprise, "Would you like tea?"

Slightly bewildered and not entirely sure what else to do, she nodded her acceptance. When he smiled, the crinkles by his eyes deepened. Still holding her gaze, his croaky voice called out, "Fastion, you've already given your report. Why don't you take our guest to the next room and start the kettle?"

From the corner of her eye, she saw Fastion's figure rise obediently. The old man lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "There should be biscuits and cookies in there too."

Karigan couldn't help but grin. Who was this crazy man who had the nerve to make fun of Drent and then offer her biscuits and tea? She felt she had just walked into a parlor party, not a high security military meeting. She couldn't help being fond of his quirkiness.

The old man motioned for her to follow the younger weapon. Once in the adjacent room, Fastion closed the door behind them. From his significantly greater height, he looked down at her. "Do you feel privileged?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well you should." He said frankly and turned away. There was a small kitchen equipped with a small stove and barrel of water. He briskly searched the cupboards and noisily set the kettle on the stove. She flinched.

"I'm sorry." She didn't know what else to do but apologize again. He signed and leaned his hands into the counter. He stayed like this for a minute before he faced her.

"It's no matter." He took a breath, "Addison was right. I had already said what I needed to say. I had just hoped to hear…" He stopped speaking and shook his head. Then he turned back to preparing tea. Now that the adrenaline wasn't keeping her moving she felt a little light headed, she went across the room to sit in one of the stuffed chairs that surrounded the blackened hearth. It was an odd room with a very shut-in feeling, but she imagined that it would be a cozy place to relax in the winter time.

After ten minutes or so he put a steaming mug on the low table in front of her. He lowered himself into a nearby chair and massaged his head. Karigan wondered what could cause this usually stoic and seemingly unmovable man to have a headache. For the first time that she'd ever seen, Fastion looked troubled. Of all the meetings to accidentally interrupt, this one looked like it had been about something serious. She didn't think he was going to say anything and was resigned to the silence. It wasn't so bad, except that she still felt like she was a student in trouble with the Dean. On the bright side, the tea smelled divine and she savored the warmth it brought to her fingers. She was always surprised how chilly the castle could become during the warmer months. Deep-set rooms like this always seemed to hold some damp chill, regardless of the season.

"Why were you running and why wasn't Mara with you?" His voice startled her and she was lucky that she had already drank down some tea, otherwise she would have spilled and scalded herself.

She creased her eyebrows, "How did you know I was with Mara?"

Eyes still closed he stated in a deadpan voice, "Rory said he saw the two of you. Plus, you always go to dinner with her around this time."

The idea that the weapons knew her schedule so well was slightly disconcerting, but she supposed it was their job to know what was happening within the castle.

He asked again, "Why were you running?"

She had hoped he wouldn't pursue that. She didn't exactly feel comfortable discussing the situation with him. Heck, she had even been too embarrassed to tell Mara or Teagan all the details about Weston's advances.

"It's nothing. I was just trying to avoid someone."

He peaked his eyes open to peer at her, questioning, "And you felt such a strong desire to hide, that you ran into an unknown place in the hope that it would be better?"

She shrugged and looked down into her tea. How was she supposed to explain how Weston makes her feel uncomfortable when she didn't really understand herself? She trusted all of her fellow riders. They were like a family, but she still didn't want to have this particular rider following her around empty corridors.

"It's one of the new riders."

He pushed further, "Who?"

"Weston." She grudgingly admitted.

"The stout one who purposely walks behind you so he can enjoy the view?"

Her cheeks flamed with heat. She hadn't been aware of that offense. Fastion took that as confirmation and leaned forward. "When did he start bothering you?" He wasn't mocking her. His voice was serious and perhaps that is what prompted her to relate what a disaster the first day of arms training had been.

The story made him frown. To change the subject, she asked, "Why should I feel privileged?"

"Because you were allowed somewhere few people have ever been."

It was her turn to raise her eyebrows and he elaborated, "The castle has a series of hidden passage ways. We maintain them and safeguard their secrets. This room is the center of the network, and from here you would be able to enter nearly anywhere. During Amilton's coup attempt, I took you through one of the exterior passages, but not in living memory has an outsider has been allowed to access the interior passages. That is, until Addison invited you in. Not even King Zachary has been invited in as you have." He paused for breath, "Not only that, but Addison allowed you to stay while a high council meeting was happening. These only happen when something truly devastating has to be discussed and the subject matter is held with the highest form of secrecy." He looked at her to see if she finally understood.

Now she was leaning forward too. They were close enough so she could quietly say, "I don't suppose you could tell me what you were reporting."

His dark eyes searched hers. "Someday, I will. But it is too soon for us to know anything for certain. We're still not sure there's even a threat present."

"But you strongly suspect there is." It wasn't a question and he didn't deny it. Her mind went unbidden from one horrible possibility to the next, yet she could only wonder what threat they thought they were dealing with.

"And since this Addison approved my presence, I'm allowed to know about such things?"

He nodded and simply stated, "Addison's word is law among my kind."

Somehow that nice old man didn't fit her idea of the stern person that would normally lead such hardened warriors. She finally admitted, "He's a bit odd."

The man across from her let out a deep chuckle, before agreeing, "He is unusual. People who don't know what he can do often underestimate him because of his unassuming manner. But even at his age, he could probably beat every one of the men in that room to a duel."

Karigan examined the man who she'd been spending so much time with this past week. His face was emotionless again, but there had been a certain tone to his voice. She stated, "You're fond of him."

His sharp eyes met hers with a sudden, penetrating intensity. Voice unrelenting as granite, "That man is the reason I'm alive."

The defensiveness took her aback. Did he think that she'd been making fun of him? Quietly, she said, "There is nothing wrong with caring about someone." His demeanor softened somewhat and Karigan got the impression he was unaccustomed to sharing his feelings.

He didn't say anything, so she continued, "How did it happen?"

For a moment he was quiet and she thought she'd have to elaborate, then he stated, "You're asking for a longer story than you know."

She sipped her tea, then glanced back at the entry door to confirm that it was still closed and that the meeting was still going. She looked back at him and reminded, "I have nowhere else to go."

"It's not a glamorous story."

She smiled, "If you tell me, then I'll tell you how I came to be in the messenger service."

The corner of his lips twitched as if they wanted to smile, "I already know why you were kicked out of school."  
She smiled back at him, "Then it's only fair I get to hear how you ended up working in the castle."

"I grew up in Sacor's Southern Fringes. Everyone down there is poor, but we were worse off than some." He paused, not sure if to continue, "I never knew my father, but as a child I remember my mother working numerous side jobs, usually doing whatever she could find. When it wasn't enough, we went to bed hungry. Some kids of that neighborhood had it worse than me. A friend of mine, her name was Elein, her father was mean. He would hit her and her brothers. When he got in a real dangerous rage, their mother would send them over to our place. Elein and I would help each other. She would watch my younger sister and I would go hunt for food. There was usually something to be found in the upper parts of the city." Here he paused again, "My mother died during my fifteenth winter. It wasn't a good time for me. Within a few months of her death, I was associating with some bad circles. I did things that I wasn't proud of, but they paid well and it kept my sister fed. One night, my boss led me to a warehouse to pick up some trafficked goods. It felt wrong the moment we entered, but my boss insisted we see the deal through. It went badly and my boss was killed almost immediately. There were three of them and I was just an underfed kid. Scared as hell, I knocked two of them out, but the last had a knife. He had a hold of me and was about to cut my throat when suddenly his grip went slack and he fell to the floor." Fastion turned his eyes away and shook his head, "I still don't know what impulse made Addison look in that warehouse or why he decided to save the life of a scrawny fifteen year old from the slums. When he asked if I was the one to knock out those two men, I didn't dare lie to him. I owed him my life. When he told me I should train for the Black Shields, I didn't question the order."

She was surprised that he'd told her so much and she wondered how many people he had to confide in. Instead, she asked, "What happened to Elein and your sister?"

From the look on his face, Karigan knew it was going to be bad. "My sister died five years ago."

"And Elein?" She hoped for his sake that his friend was still alive. She couldn't imagine losing all of her family and her best friends.

There was a very long silence. He was still bent forward, arms resting on his knees. When he spoke, he kept his eyes trained on the cup in his hands, "As a child, I had always imagined that I would someday marry her and that we could earn enough money to live in one of the wooden homes at the edge of the Fringes. I had grown up protecting her and our siblings. We had been brought together by our circumstances and it had made us friends. However, when I became an initiate in the Shields program, my entire life changed. I was required to eat and sleep up at the castle. Addison knew of my sister and he made an allowance so I could slip away every few evenings to bring her money. But there was never much time and Elein was never very happy when I left. I tried to reassure her, but there were always things I couldn't tell her and I could never stay too long from the castle. After a while, she became distant, no longer wanting to hear about my training and often making excuses not to come meet with me. One night, I tried to convince her to get a job at the castle. She sneered, saying she would never bend to those who thought themselves better than her. This was the last time we talked." They still sat close together and he looked up at Karigan, to reassure her, "I'm not sorry for my life."

Not knowing what else to say in the wake of such a story, she said, "I suppose you must like your job since you work so much."

He shrugged again, "It's not so uncommon. When you join the Shields, it becomes your life. We have a duty to protect the country."

He said protect the country, not protect the King. She frowned in thought. Hadn't she always thought they seemed like an entity of their own, one that was entirely separate from the rest of the military branches? Karigan looked at him speculatively. He'd been surprisingly open with her that evening. It made her feel daring enough to actually ask what was on her mind, "So if the king was no longer good for the country?"

His body went very still. She could feel the tenseness beside her and Karigan knew she was walking along a knife's edge. That she might have just gone too far.

After a few minutes of silence, in which she had to resist the uncomfortable urge to fidget, he finally fixed his dark gaze back onto her. Apparently he'd decided to trust her. Or maybe he already had and he was just now deciding how much he could tell her. After all, she was only an honorary weapon. Whatever went through his mind, he finally conceded some information, "We are charged with protecting the realm and its people at all costs. If there is a threat to that purpose, then it must be taken care of."

Country over King. So they protected the king, but it was more of a partnership. He wasn't their commander. She wondered if Zachary knew. But if this was an open understanding, surely one of the Kings of the past millennia would have distrusted and perhaps even alienated the weapons. Karigan's memory of her Selium history lessons were vague, but she would have remembered a mention of strife between the legendary Black Shields and the Monarchy.

This also meant that they would be monitoring the current King. If Zachary stepped in the wrong direction, then he would be set to straits or disposed of. She very much doubted Zachary would accept this limitation to his power if he knew. People get used to being in power and they generally don't like to give it up.

Karigan hoped the weapons would never have to choose between Zachary and Sacoridia, because then she would have to pick a side to support.

*o*o*o*o*o*

The hours passed and it was passed midnight when Addison's stooped form finally emerged from the other council room. He smiled at Karigan, "The meeting is over lass. You are free to leave now. Thank you for waiting so patiently."

When she stood, Fastion stood as well. "I'll walk you back."

She was going to reassure him that she was ok, but the look he gave her quelled any arguments.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Twenty-four hours later, Fastion strode out the front of the castle. He had just gotten off duty and was ready to go home. He loved his job, but he had just been forced to sit through another one of Queen Estora's summer parties. This one ran several hours late because Estora had announced that she was pregnant and every noble woman who wasn't already present was summoned to congratulate the Queen. As the party stretched on, Fastion watched King Zachary's behavior. It was odd, because the King didn't seem fazed by the thought of his pregnant wife and the heir she was providing him. It almost seemed as if he didn't care, which struck Fastion as uncharacteristic for the King whom he knew so well. He was beginning to suspect that the council had been correct and that something was seriously wrong with his friend. It was not a pleasant thought, and he welcomed the refreshing chill of the night air.

As he walked through the gate, he saw a rowdy group in green uniforms making their way up the dimly lit King's Way. He remembered Karigan mentioning a celebration for her friend's birthday. Well if the volume of their singing was any judge, then he'd say the riders had thoroughly enjoyed their night in the city's taverns. As the group approached, he grew curious, because none of the forms moved or looked the way Karigan did. A knot of tension formed in his stomach. Where was she?

Even though she wasn't the type to purposely get smashed, he wondered if she'd had too much to drink and was one of the unsteady walkers in the back. He waited and as the group came closer he recognized Rider Duff and Rider Brennan. Stopping the latter, he inquired, "Have you seen Karigan?"

Startled, it took Rider Brennan a second to answer, "Oh, ah. She's back there a ways, helping Weston and Julia. They drank too much at the Cock n' Hen."

Fastion just nodded and hurried off in search of them. The answer only made his unease grow. As a child growing up in the scummier parts of Sacor City, he'd quickly learned what to do and not do. Maybe everything was fine, but he didn't think it was a good idea for Karigan to be walking at night with some drunks. At least when she was on a message errand, she had her horse and her saber, but here in the city she wouldn't have either. She and her companions were unarmed and obviously from the castle. The local gangs would pick them out as easy targets and there were so many dark places where things could happen to those who didn't take care. Not far ahead, he saw a tall, slim girl in a green uniform, walking unsteadily up the road. Julia he presumed. "Karigan?" He inquired. The girl just waved behind her in a general fashion before continuing her dogged ascent up the winding street.

Despite Julia's explanation, her companions weren't anywhere to be seen. His unease grew into alarm, he was sure Karigan was in trouble. He was angry with himself for not finding someone to cover this shift. What did it matter if the monarchs would have become suspicious at his absence? If she was hurt, it would be his fault. As he raced along the streets, his mind flashed through all the possibilities. Even if she'd made it safely past the high crime areas, she was still with Weston, and after what she'd revealed the previous night, he didn't trust the new rider. The messengers were a notoriously close-knit group and Karigan might be lulled into a false sense of security just because he wore a rider broach. Furthermore, if she was trying to help the drunk, then she probably wouldn't be on guard for any suspicious behavior from the idiot.

He was now running and looking sharply into every shadowed nook he passed. It was at one of the large guild trading squares when he spotted them in the distance. They were standing close, facing each other in the dark shadow of a building. For a second, Fastion thought he had misjudged Karigan's feelings for this guy. But as he approached, he heard Karigan's voice.

"You have to walk. I'm not going to drag you the whole way."

"Oh come on girly, you know you like being close to me. Let's just have a little fun. No one will know." The man didn't sound drunk to Fastion and he decided to intervene. It was obvious Karigan didn't want the attention.

"Stop being ridiculous or I'm leaving you here." She shoved him away, but he grabbed her butt with both hands and pulled her back. Weston was too preoccupied that he didn't even see the weapon running their way. Karigan stomped on Weston's meaty foot. It looked like she was going to elbow his face, but Fastion reached him first.

Fastion grabbed the nearest shoulder and ripped him away from Karigan. Weston tripped and fell to the ground, but the weapon picked him up by his uniform and slammed him into the nearest wall. Panicked by the sudden attack, the idiot tried to struggle free. Grabbing him by the neck and forcing him back against the stone, Fastion leaned in and stared at him. Weston's eyes didn't seem drunk, but very aware of what was going on. It was clear that he'd only been pretending (probably to get Karigan alone). Fastion felt a rise of uncommon fury and he pushed harder against the man's throat. He could kill him easily, but when Weston started struggling for breath, he controlled his rage and loosened his grip by a fraction. After a while, the guy started to shake and it further calmed Fastion's nerves. He didn't want to be cruel, he just wanted to get his point across. Finally breaking the silence, he growled, "You will never touch her again. You will never look at her the wrong way again. You will never make her feel uncomfortable again. If I ever hear of such disrespect, then I promise I'll have no restraint." When the man finally nodded his assent, Fastion dropped him and harshly ordered him to leave. He watched Weston scurry out of the alley before turning his attention to Karigan.

When he saw her leaning tiredly against the wall, arms crossed protectively over her chest, all of his former anger fled. He reached for her arm, but she flinched at his touch.

"Hey, it's Fastion."

She looked at him, then glanced away.

His fingers lifted her chin, so she would meet his gaze. Her eyes were overly moist. He stared at her searchingly. Imploring her to understand, he gently stated, "You have nothing to feel ashamed about."

She swallowed and shut her eyes a few times, as if willing herself to keep it together. She was normally such a strong person, he didn't like seeing her vulnerable like this. Not knowing what else to do, he wrapped his arms around her. At first, she was tense. But after a couple seconds, she allowed herself to relax into his hold.

She rested her head on his chest, and when she spoke her voice came out very small, "I don't know if I would have gotten out of it." She shook her head, "I tired myself out by carrying him halfway across the city. I realized too late that he wasn't actually in need of my help." She shook her head, "Stupid. This isn't the first time it has happened. Last time it was one of Tor's mercenary friends. I had to kill both of them, but it was a close thing. I wasn't nearly as experienced with fighting back then." He tensed, suddenly recalling the first conversation they had ever had. She had claimed to killing one of his kind. The situation made much more sense now. "But you survived and they deserved what happened. Tor was a traitor, he deserved to die a worse death."

She sighed and slumped against him.

"Weston's gone. He's not going to hurt you. I promise." Once again, Fastion considered killing the man. At the very least, he was going to speak to Captain Mapstone and have the idiot stationed somewhere where he couldn't hurt anyone. Instead of speaking his mind, he stated, "Let's get you somewhere warm."

*o*o*o*o*o*

Lauren was startled and very curious when she saw the weapon Fastion leaning against her door the following day. She let him in and he recounted the events of the previous night. When he excused himself to go to guard duty, Lauren sat behind her desk in shock. In all her years as a Green Rider, never had she heard of such a thing. Riders didn't assault other riders. They were family. It just wasn't done. Yet apparently that trust was broken last night. She went in search of Karigan and when the rider affirmed the story, the Captain made sure she was ok.

"Yes, I was shaken, but I'm fine. Fastion stopped it before things…proceeded too far."

Lauren pulled Karigan into a big hug, "I care for you like a daughter. Please tell me if anything like this happens in the future."

Shocked by the contact and the profession of love, Karigan just nodded. Now reassured that her rider was unharmed, she left to find the offender. In a fashion that did her fiery reputation proud, she stormed out of the castle and towards the fields. Seeing the look on the Captain's face, people automatically moved out of her way.

She walked down to the pastures where she knew Weston and the other new riders were having riding lessons. She walked right into the lesson, interrupted Elgin and ordered, "Rider Brooks, get off that horse." When he didn't respond fast enough, she bellowed, "Now!"

She marched him up to her office and once the door was closed, she proceeded to give him a sharp lecture about rider expectations and how he should treat his fellow riders. "As a rider, your every action represents the King. If I ever hear of you doing something so disrespectful again, then you will not only be thrown out of the service, but you will face criminal punishment." When Lauren gave Rider Brooks latrine duty for an entire six weeks, his eyes widened in horror. It may have been an excessive punishment, but she wanted to ensure nothing of this nature ever happened again. It still didn't quench her anger. Brusquely, she dismissed him, lest she gave into the urge to hit him.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A few days later, Karigan stood outside the King's study. She was a little confused and a lot angry.

Earlier that day, she had seen Hep talking to the Head of the Kennels. When she stopped to ask how everything was going, the old man told her what he had been telling Hep. Apparently, King Zachary hadn't visited his dogs in the last five days. Which was odd, because everyone knew how attached he was to his hunting terriers.

Karigan frowned, "Has he been ill?"

The old man shrugged, "Not sure. All I know is that the last time the King came to see his dogs, Finder Jr. bit him."

"That's his favorite dog."

"Don't I know it. I've never seen any of the dogs react that way towards him. It was right odd."

When the talk turned to the newest grain shipment, she excused herself. Concerned that something was wrong with Zachary, she went in search of him. After asking, she was directed to the King's study. When she entered the hallway, Rory smiled at her, "Greetings sister."

She grinned up at him and asked, "Can I see the King?"

He nodded, "He just got out of a meeting." Then he knocked and opened the door.

She had tried to talk to Zachary. Yet the entire time, he stood with his back to her and stared out the window into the gardens. When she pressed him about the strange behavior, he threw her out of his study and commanded the weapon at the door to never let her into his rooms again.

Later that day, she related the experience first to Captain Mapstone and then to Fastion. Captain Mapstone was surprised, but told her to just give it time. Fastion didn't try to make any reassurances, he just agreed that it was extremely odd and asked if she would spend the following day with him.

"I've the entire day off and was hoping to go for a ride. Would you like to join me?"

She readily agreed, Condor wouldn't be back for a few more days, but riding would help her forget the hurt that Zachary had caused. She'd accepted the fact that they would never be together, but hadn't they been through too much to not at least be civil to each other? She desperately needed a ride to forget all the things that were bothering her.

*o*o*o*o*o*

Lauren had been summoned to attend the King. When she knocked, he called for her to come in and take a seat. "I'll be with you in a moment," he said before continuing to write something.

While she waited, she took in his new appearance. He had shaved. She hadn't seen him without a beard since he was a young man. It looked good on him, striking even, but made his appearance more severe. His hair also seemed darker, but that was probably for lack of sunshine. The season was changing and he had been so busy recently, that Lauren knew he hadn't had much time to go outside.

With a flourish, he signed his name, folded the paper into an envelope and stamped the hot wax with his signet ring. Handing her the letter, he asked, "Could you have this sent to the garrison at Aubrey Crossing?"

"Of course. Is everything alright?" Was there something going on at the Rhovan border?

"We've had reports of rebel activity, most likely Second Empire. We'll be sending them extra troops."

Why hadn't she heard of this before? Lauren guessed he had attended so many private meetings in the past week that he had just forgotten to inform her about some of the newer developments. Still, it was a bit strange.

Ignoring how weird that was, she changed the subject to something she'd been meaning to ask him about. "I talked to Karigan."

"Oh?" He encouraged politely.

"She told me you have prohibited her from visiting you."

"Because of our history, I thought it best if we didn't see each other for a time. Don't worry, she will be allowed to see me again in a few weeks. Everything will be well by then." His voice was flat, but there was a certain gleam in his eyes that made Lauren wonder.

Why did he think everything would be fixed in only a few short weeks? His reassurance seemed positive, yet lacked any concern for the woman that he used to love. Lauren said, "I fully supported the idea that you should give each other distance, but wasn't it a trifle dramatic to ban her from being in the same room as you?"

His normally passionate eyes looked at her without emotion and he said in a quiet, dangerous voice, "I will not be gainsaid on this. You will keep her out of my presence until I am ready to see her."

Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, she nodded her assent. Rarely did he command her and never before had she felt threatened; she felt so now. When he dismissed her, she was relieved to get out of the room.

Once out of the Zachary's study, her mind began to work properly again. Lauren was positive that Karigan would be in trouble if she disobeyed this time. The Captain knew just how spirited her rider could be and if she was determined, then she was capable of breaking orders. To keep Karigan from getting herself in trouble with the King, Lauren would give her some extra duties to keep her occupied. Lauren grinned, knowing just how much Karigan was going to hate returning to rider accounts, but it would keep her safely in the more administrative wings and far from Zachary.

*o*o*o*o*o*o*

It was early evening when she finally found time to head to the kitchens. For lunch, she'd had only an apple that Mara pilfered for her out of pity. For two weeks she'd been working through the rider accounts and she was only just getting them organized again. Daro, who had been assigned the duty when Karigan went into Blackveil, had been sent on a long message errand and Fergal had been assigned the task in her stead. Karigan would always be fond of Fergal, but numbering was not his strong suite.

She sat down at an empty table. Before she had a chance to eat, Karigan felt a touch on her shoulder and she turned to see Fastion looking down at her. "Hey!"

His lips twitched at the greeting, and then he asked, "Can I join you?"

She nodded and motioned for him to take the seat across from her. She was one of the few to be seen regularly socializing with any of the weapons. Karigan knew some of her fellow riders found it odd that she was so close to them. In the past few weeks this particular weapon had become a regular fixture in her life. She wasn't sure when it had happened, but she'd begun to consider him as a good friend.

When she tasted the steaming food, she couldn't help but sigh with contentment. He noticed the way she savored her food. "Does the King not feed his riders anymore?" His face looked as serious as stone, but there was a teasing quality to the question.

"You'd be hungry too if all you'd eaten was an apple."

"I don't suppose you're trying to lose weight."

"No." She'd never been too concerned with her figure. Besides her mother's small looking glass, she didn't even have a mirror in her room.

"Good." He stated before continuing to eat.

Did that mean he liked how she was? The blunt response had taken her aback and she couldn't help but sneak a few glances at him during the rest of the silent meal. She of course had noticed his body. It was hard not to appreciate his broad shoulders when she often saw him sparring with the other weapons. It was a grand joke between Mara and Teagan. They often chided her for being a swordmaster initiate, as if the only reason she trained was to spend time with the well-muscled men. So yes, on many occasions she had seen him without a shirt and any woman with sense would appreciate such a view.

However, she never thought he'd noticed her in return. Apparently she was wrong. Not that she had ever been shirtless on the practice field. The thought of him seeing her that way was enough to heat her cheeks. A few of the female weapons practiced in only their breeches and breast bands, but Karigan didn't feel that confident while fighting against such good opponents.

So preoccupied, she didn't notice when he finished eating. After several more minutes, she glanced his way again and this time was startled to find him looking back at her. He asked, "How would you like to know some more about rider history?"

She always enjoyed hearing stories of the riders. "What do you have in mind?"

He smiled at her interest, "Follow me."

She didn't know what to expect, but it definitely wasn't where he led her. She questioned, "The council room?"

"We have to access a particular spot of the castle through here."

She ginned in expectation. He meant they would have to use the secret passages to the interior of the castle. Sometimes it was handy to be on friendly terms with the Weapons.

Before leaving the council rooms, he grabbed and lit a torch, explaining that there were no lights beyond the first door. The passage they entered was just wide enough to allow the breadth of his shoulders and everything beyond the torch's glow was obscured by darkness. As they walked, he spoke quietly, explaining how the tunnels had been painstakingly constructed over centuries. For the first time ever, Karigan didn't mind sneaking through the castle's most secretive areas, because this time she was doing it without any threat to her life. Without the danger, the excitement was fun.

When they came to a small door, he stopped to open it and to motion her inside. It must be a large room, because she couldn't see anything till he followed, and even then, all she saw was the door and a large table. As he walked around the wall lighting the torches stationed periodically, the room began to take shape and she gasped. Once properly lit, she could see shelves upon shelves towering all the way to the tall ceiling. They were packed with scrolls and chests of various sizes, some of which were so big that she could only imagine what objects they contained.

"Wow."

He grinned and came to stand beside her.

"It contains our records since the long war." By 'our' she knew he meant the Black Shields.

"All of them?" She was impressed. The riders didn't have any records dating beyond thirty years ago.

"Yes, and we're quite meticulous on details. Come, I'll show you what we came here for."

He looked through the shelves and stopped at one labeled with four numbers: 1496. He riffled through the scrolls until he found the one he searched for.

"Have you read all of these?" He looked to see her wave her hand, clearly indicating most of the room.

"No. I like history, but I'm not that obsessed. We have curators for that."

Thinking of how Estral would drool at the chance to ransack this room, she said disbelievingly, "No one knows." She wondered what details were hidden here, never to be discovered by historians.

As if letting her in on a secret, he whispered, "That's kind of the point."

The blatant sarcasm startled a chuckle out of her and she shook her head.

"Jameson, our chief curator couldn't tell me their exact locations, so I'll have to search a bit for the next few scrolls. Why don't you take a light and explore the other rooms?"

"There are more?"

He turned to begin his search, and answered over his shoulder, "Many. Just don't be gone too long."

She did as he suggested. The next room she found was filled with only scrolls and when she peeked at several, she found that they were only ledgers of past purchases. Grimacing at the numbers, she quickly replaced them and continued to find something more interesting. What she found in the next room didn't disappoint. There were some scrolls, but weapons lined the majority of the shelves, mostly blades, mixed with an odd assortment of other deadly tools. There was a whole wall devoted to daggers. Some of the weapons she didn't recognize and couldn't even imagine how to use them. Karigan wondered how many ways a Black Shield knew how to kill a person. Although she liked the Weapons, she was glad she was a green rider. With all her ghostly experiences, she had enough death as it was. As a group, the Black Shields weren't solely preoccupied with death, but as their motto "Death is Honor" clearly displayed, they weren't afraid of killing or of dying.

The next room held more crates and scrolls. She was about to pass on when she caught sight of a very small door. Curious, she walked nearer. It was low, only coming to her waist, but when she opened it she could hear distant voices. She knew she shouldn't, but it was too tempting to resist. After setting her torch safely in a wall sconce, she crawled through the small opening. As she went, the voices became more distinct. She turned a corner and suddenly there was light. It wasn't much, but it made her blink several times. The light filtered in through a slit and when she crept closer, she realized it was just big enough for her to see into.

She saw the backs of two men hunched over a table. The merchant in her noted that the one on the right was wearing very expensive cloth and she knew it must be some lord.

The one in regular clothing stood and announced, "The Deyer man has been taken care of."

"Good, good. Tell me Selvic, how is the young lord taking it?" Karigan knew that voice, but why would the King be talking of Alton?

Selvic continued, "Not well. He wept openly and when someone mentioned King Zachary the boy hurled a vase at the wall."

A chuckle, followed by the word, "Interesting," There was amusement in the King's voice. Why would he find such a thing funny?

Zachary lifted a paper from the desk and turned in her direction, before distractedly saying, "He will learn respect soon enough."

Karigan shivered at the cold statement, and had a hard time believing what she was witnessing. If she hadn't heard his voice, she wouldn't have recognized him as her King. Something about his appearance awakened a distant memory. His eyes looked dead without their former warmth and affection. He had shaved his beard and it made his face seemed more angular. Overall, his features looked darker. He looked like…With a rush of horror, she realized that she had seen these features once in an old-world courtyard. Her King now had the distinct features of the young Alessandros Del Mornhaven. The shock had her scrambling away from the opening, hoping that he hadn't seen her. Spooked, she scrambled out of the little tunnel and ran back to Fastion, almost forgetting her torch.

When she burst into the first room, he asked, "Did you find anything…" She cut off his question by pressing her hand over his mouth and shaking her head. Not here. They couldn't talk here. HE was too close. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out into the passages. When it became obvious she didn't remember the way, Fastion squeezed past her to take the lead. When they reached the council chambers, he turned to her.

She peered around, but there was no one else in the room.

Fastion observed the paranoid behavior, then asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's Him."

At this moment, the door opened. Gresha came through followed by Drent, Addison and a middle-aged weapon that Karigan didn't recognize. They stopped near the entrance and took in the scene of their colleague and the tense rider. Fastion glanced at them, and then turned back to the woman who seemed to find trouble everywhere. He admitted, "You'll have to elaborate."

"I wondered off and overheard a conversation between the King and someone named Selvic." The older weapons walked closer to listen. They had been interested before, but now she had their attention. "The second man reported that the 'Deyer' had been disposed of." She noticed Addison and Drent glance at each other as if she'd just confirmed some suspicion. "The King talked about Alton," She shook her head, she was worried about her friend, but she couldn't do anything about that right now. Karigan looked at each of the weapons in turn, eventually her gaze fell and stayed with Addison. He was the highest ranking person in the room. "Then he turned around and I saw His transformation. Remember, I haven't been allowed to see Him for weeks. I'm sure he ordered this restriction knowing I would recognize Him otherwise. When He faced my direction, I immediately recognized the features of Mornhaven." She paused to let the information and their implications sink in. "The features are too distinct and I know them all too well. Mornhaven is here and from the looks of it, he's had control of Zachary for quite some time."

Drent spoke first and directly to the point, "If we killed Zachary, would Mornhaven be able to come back?"

She didn't like being their chief consultant. She didn't know anything for sure. She only had her experiences. She tried to reason through it. When Mornhaven had possessed her, he only left when she'd injured herself. So that means he knew he wouldn't survive a fatal injury to his host body. It was the best she had and she really hoped she wasn't wrong.

"No. He would die as well."

The others looked to Addison, and he confirmed, "I'll alert the Island of our decision. Do it as quickly as possible."

She didn't know what exactly he was referring to, but it sounded very final for Zachary. "Wait." Karigan spoke up again and they all looked at her. She knew that Mornhaven must die and that great sacrifices needed to be made. Hells, she was more than willing to sacrifice herself if it meant her family and friends would be free of Mornhaven's terror. If they acted quickly, they could avoid another long war. But…it felt wrong to just dispose of Zachary as if he were nothing. Not knowing how else to help the King, she asked, "Give me one day. I want to make sure that Mornhaven is truly connected to Zachary, otherwise we'll lose our King for nothing."

It was sound logic, they would like that. It would at least make them consider the idea.

"How would you know?" Gresha questioned.

Indicating her broach, Karigan said, "I'd be able to see it with my gift. The only problem is that I would need a clear view of him."

She could tell Drent was about to argue against her, but Fastion spoke first, "The ball tonight, it's the least likely place for Mornhaven to notice her. We could sneak her in, hide her in the crowd and get her out without him noticing."

Karigan shot him a thankful glance for the help.

Addison gave her a grave look, "The ball starts in two hours. So I will give you three hours from now to accomplish your goal. If you do not succeed, we will proceed with the plans we already have in place. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," She answered softly.

With that, Addison took Drent and the unknown weapon out of the room.

Fastion looked as if he was waiting for her to move. She asked, "Are you going to help me?"

His lips twitched, he stated, "I'm going to make sure you survive the night."

She smiled softly, glad for his presence.

Gresha still lingered by the door and when she had Karigan's attention, she inquired, "What are you planning to wear?"

Karigan answered honestly, "I have no idea."

The older woman studied Karigan's figure and after considering for a moment, she said, "I think we can provide you with something."

Several dark passages and locked doors later, Karigan stood in an expensive looking room, facing a closet full of colorful, floor-length gowns.

"I wasn't aware that the weapons kept such a wardrobe on stock."

Fastion snorted from behind her, "They don't."

Gresha explained, "This is Lady Saphora's second room. They are the gowns that she either thought were outdated or weren't tasteful." Her voice sounded thoughtful, "She does have a rather large chest, so we will need to choose carefully."

Fastion grumbled, "I'll wait in the passageway."

Once he left, Karigan had to try on numerous gowns before they finally found one with a corset. It was black and simple, which Karigan thought the lack of color would help keep her discreet. At least it was better than the white one that sprouted feathers from some unrecognizable, exotic bird.

While Karigan tackled the dresses, Gresha searched the drawers and found some hairpins. There was no mirror in the room and she had to trust the Arms Master to make her hair representable. It didn't have to look glamorous, she just had to blend in with the nobles.

There was a lot of tugging and even a curse, but eventually Gresha pronounced the job was done. She turned Karigan by the shoulders and said, "It is late and I'm needed elsewhere, but may you have luck on your side tonight."

*o*o*o*o*o*

He sat against the wall and waited for the women to finish. He was beginning to wonder if they would be late to the ball when he heard the door open and a dim light filtered into the passageway. He heard her step one healed foot and then the other into the stone corridor.

He stiffly stood and turned towards her. He wasn't prepared for what she looked like and the sight made him stand as still as the stone beneath his feet. The skin of her shoulders and neck was exposed and glowed in the dim light. He knew that if he reached out to touch her neck, it would feel warm and smooth. The dark gown blended into the black of the surrounding passage. She looked every inch the Servant of Westrion for which he knew she was. He thought the dark tones were fitting for the occasion.

"Fastion?" She called softly.

He swallowed, then replied, "I'm here."

She squinted in the direction of his voice and he stepped forward to join her in the dim light. "Are you ready?"

She grabbed a small torch and nodded. He knew this network of passages well enough that a torch wasn't necessary, but she most certainly would need guidance. Not that he would mind if she accidentally bumped into him in the dark.

"This way," he led her south towards the smaller ballroom. Not many guests had been invited to this gathering, but he hoped Karigan could blend in with the noblewomen that were present. If she succeeded, she would just be one of a hundred other ladies. Then they could leave and she would once again be safe.

When they reached the appropriate door, he took the torch from her and placed it in a wall sconce. "We're going in and out as quickly as possible. The King won't be there immediately, but when he does arrive, try to keep his back to you. If he doesn't see you, then this will be all the easier."

"And what will you be doing?"

He grinned, "I'm just another Black Shield on duty for this event." And with that, he opened the door and she slipped through its concealing curtain.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It was a huge understatement to say Zachary wouldn't be there immediately. When thirty minutes had passed and he still wasn't there, she began to fret. Addison had given her only three hours and she only had thirty minutes until that time was over. She couldn't help Zachary if he never showed up.

She turned to Fastion, "If he doesn't come…"

With firm resolve, the weapon stated, "He will come."

The ball was relatively small, but there were still around two hundred people present. Karigan was no more comfortable than she usually was at such occasions, and the minutes seemed to drag by as she waited. She didn't attempt to make conversation with anyone else present, and they left her in peace at the edge of the ballroom.

To distract herself, she watched the people dancing in the center of the room. During one beautiful song, she briefly allowed herself to imagine what it would be like if the man at her side asked her to dance. She usually didn't like dancing at such fancy occasions because the partners were so random and she never knew how to follow their movements. However, she had demonstrated enough sword sequences with Fastion during that week of training the new riders that she knew how he moved. If he did ask her to dance, she would say yes. Karigan was almost positive she wouldn't make a fool of herself with him.

So caught up in the thought, she almost missed Neff's announcement of the monarchs. Quickly, Karigan hid herself amongst the other party goers. She heard the crowd murmur about how dashing the couple looked, but she didn't dare look up until she was sure Mornhaven couldn't see her. The crowd in front of her moved forward to circle around the Monarchs. Everyone resumed talking again and Karigan lifted her head tall. She saw a glimpse of Zachary's arm and she skirted the crowd so she could approach him from behind.

Nearing the monarchs, Karigan could hear Estora's excited voice answering questions. The King stood like an indulgent parent, nodding to greetings and occasionally drawling out an answer to some question. When she was about ten feet from him, she brushed her broach to turn on her invisibility. The world turned grey. Every figure looked blurred, except the King. She saw his shoulders tense and with dismay, she saw him turn towards her.

Features that had once been subdued by Zachary's more gentle appearance were no longer hidden. Mornhaven's ancient features now shown in her vision with a sickening intensity and when he smiled, she wanted to run away. "Karigan dear, I had wondered when you would insist on seeing me. It is a shame you chose now. I had been hoping for a more private meeting."

Looking at him in this grey in-between world, she saw no trace of the former King Zachary. "He's gone."

He lifted elegant eyebrows, "Your King? Yes. It was a regrettable thing, but I was weakened and in need of a new army. I had been afraid that you would discover my presence before I was fully bonded to Zachary's body, but that Captain of yours had the foresight to keep you blessedly busy."

"The Captain?" Had he possessed her too?

"Yes, charming woman. She has a lot of fire in her. I think I will enjoy breaking her. After all, the best horses are always the hardest to tame, but once you break their resistance they become quiet compliant."

"Will you break me too?"

"You?" He smiled and she had a feeling of trepidation sweep over her. "Never. I would miss your fighting spirit. You are much like Hadriax in that way. Plus, no one else knows who I am, not yet anyways, and I want someone I can keep by my side and confide in while I fulfill my conquests. Your little Kingdom has grown so much since I was last here, you really should be proud of it. The land is ripe with people and resources; it will be an excellent place to base my campaign into the West and later into the North. I want you to be able to witness everything I accomplish in the coming years. No, I will not extinguish your fighting spirit. It rouses me. Don't you remember when we first met? I told you I wanted an Empress to rule with me."

The idea disgusted her, "You already have a wife."

He scoffed, "That woman with her barbarian's blood? The woman who is carrying my predecessor's heir? I think not."

"And my blood?"

"You have Arcosian blood, it is apparent just looking at you. Hadriax's seed must have been strong. I recognize much of him in you."

Caught somewhere between terrified and defiant, she stated, "I would rather die than be a part of your plan."

"Undoubtedly, but I think you'll find that you have little choice in that matter. Does your father still put up with all those women in his house? I doubt he would mind losing a few of them. Or perhaps he could do without that old cargo master of his?"

The threat was clear and it made her sick, yet she had always hated intrigue and she stated resolutely, "I won't play your game."

He burst out laughing. Next to Karigan, a noblewomen fell to the floor screaming. She thrashed about the floor, clutching at her face. "Stop it!" Karigan demanded. When he didn't, she dropped her invisibility. She was hit with an immediate headache and it was only made worse by the sound of Zachary's manic bellow.

A pretty woman standing in between her and Mornhaven dropped her glass and it crashed to the floor. Then she too fell to the floor screaming. Karigan looked up desperately into Zachary's too dark eyes. There was no hope in them. "Stop it!" She ordered. When it only elicited more laughter, she swooped down and grabbed a jagged piece of broken glass. Raising it high, she ran at him. She aimed at his neck, but he stepped back just in time. Her next swing drew a long cut down his flawless cheek. He stopped laughing and he grabbed her wrist. With malicious intent, his grip tightened until there was a crack and pain shot up her arm. He sneered down at her, "Please, keep fighting. It will make tonight all that more exciting. Don't worry, in the morning I can have that healer repair whatever damage you might suffer."

His grip tightened. The pain induced vertigo and she felt her legs buckle. With a cry, she fell to her knees.

*o*o*o*o*

Karigan faded out and Fastion could just barely make out her form moving through the crowd. Fastion had seen the King turn and talk to someone, but oddly, he couldn't hear the words. For the first time in weeks, Fastion saw Zachary's darkened face alight with a real smile. It didn't set Fastion at ease and he crept silently closer. None of the guests seemed to be aware that something strange was happening. Even the Queen was chatting animatedly with an old dignitary.

A woman screamed and all the other people hushed to see what was wrong. He picked out Karigan's distinctive voice amongst the screaming. A glass shattered against the stone floor and a new voice joined in screaming. He turned to study the writhing figures on the floor. The King was laughing and Fastion was sure he'd gone mad. The Weapons would not put up with a king like Amilton, who tortured and killed his people for little reason. Loosening his sword from its sheath, Fastion waited, ready to strike. Karigan reappeared and commanded, "Stop it!" When the laughter continued, she attacked the King.

The nobles scattered to the edges of the room to watch in confusion and horror. Seeing Karigan's wrist being broken, erased all doubt from Fastion's mind. He moved forward, certain that the King must die. He silently stalked toward them, sword barred. Karigan cried out in pain and her skirts spread themselves around her as she kneeled to the ground. The King never heard Fastion approach, and when the black banded blade fell, it severed his head from his body. Taking a big calming breath, Fastion looked dispassionately at the body of his former monarch and friend. When the expanding pool of blood reached Karigan's hunched form and began to soak its way up her skirts, the Weapon finally moved. Hurriedly, he wiped the blade on his shirt and re-sheathed it. He reached down and swung the woman up into his arms. She wimpered slightly when her wrist was jostled, but otherwise she didn't protest. The crowd was absolutely silent and as he walked towards them, they parted quickly. He imagined that none of them wanted to be too close to such a monster that would so ruthlessly kill his own King. The shock of the crowd wore off as he carried Karigan up the steps and suddenly the silence erupted into panicked noise. Then they were out of the room and briskly making their way to the mending wing. Upon reaching Ben's door, he opened it without knocking. Inside, the healer stood from his desk with a startled cry.

"What…" His weak voice wasn't allowed to finish.

Fastion didn't have time for this, he needed to get her healed and out of the castle. "You will heal this rider." It was a command.

Seeing the state of Karigan, he hurried forward and motioned for her to be placed on his desk. After examining her, he asked, "How in the world did you manage to re-break your wrist while at a ball?"

"I tried to stab Mornhaven." She grimaced at the memory, "He wasn't very happy about it."

The Healer starred at her in shock and Fastion had to clear his throat to get the mender back to work. Ben's control over his ability seemed to have improved since the incident with Zachary and the arrow and the Black Shield watched on in satisfaction.

"It was a relatively simple break, but you should be careful for the next few days. It could still be tender."

She smiled, "Thank you Ben."

He just nodded.

Fastion asked, "Can you walk?"

She stood and was a little wobbly on her feet, but quickly steadied herself. As they left the room, she questioned, "Don't we need to report to someone."

He shook his head, "Addison will already have the news and is probably briefing the Queen and her advisors as we speak."

"Then where are we going?"

"Into the city."

She was curious, but he said no more, so she resigned herself to wait and see. The night was cool, but after the excitement that had just happened, Karigan didn't mind the chill. As they entered the winding streets of the city, she looked at him. Fastion seemed as calm and collected as ever. She remembered Mornhaven's words. If it weren't for the man beside her, she would probably be experiencing the range of Mornhaven's pleasure right now. The idea was disturbing and she didn't want to imagine what she would have been forced to do.

"Thank you." Her words drifted into the silence.

He looked at her. She gulped down the emotion that threatened to spill from her and she continued more steadily, "That's twice you've saved me."

"Make nothing of it, it was my duty."

She reached out to touch his arm, to stop him from walking. She didn't remove it as she stated, "It was more than that. I'm assuming you missed the conversation, but if you had heard what Mornhaven had planned for this country," She shuddered, "what he had planned for me, then you might understand the hell you just saved me from. As it is, just know that I am grateful."

A light of understanding came into his eyes and he protectively covered her hand with his own.

"It was no simple future he'd planned for me. So please, accept my full thanks." Her hand still under his, she turned it to grip his larger one, as if emphasizing the depths of her gratitude.

He nodded solemnly. She looked at their intertwined hands and blushed, but she didn't let go. She could feel the swordsman's calluses. She liked the subdued strength she felt there. She remembered how he'd held her after Weston's attack. He could be strong and fierce when required, but he could also be very gentle.

She looked up to see him watching her face and openly smiling at whatever he saw. Her blush deepened and she asked again, "Where are we going?"

"My home."

Her eyebrows shot up, "Your?" Her question floundered. For some reason she had always thought the weapons lived in the Castle. Deciding not to be surprised by anything else this night, she just agreed, "Alright. Lead on."

After walking a ways, he led her to into a sleeping neighborhood. All the houses were small, but most looked well kept. At one of these, Fastion stopped, pulled out a key and let her in. The inside was pleasantly warm and she looked around curiously. As they walked up the stairs, she wondered why he had brought her here. When she spoke the question out loud, he merely stated, "We don't know how soldiers of many of the Second Empire were allowed to infiltrate the castle within the past few weeks. I promised Westrion that I would keep you safe," He shrugged as if it was nothing. "At the moment my home is safer than your room at the castle."

"Westrion," She murmured and looked at him with new eyes. She supposed it made sense. If the Weapons felt they could dispose of a King, then who else save a god could be their leader. "He's your true master isn't he?" She asked.

Before he could answer, a sleepy voice called out, "Fastion?" Karigan turned towards the doorway and to her surprise saw a little girl standing barefoot and wearing only a nightdress. Fastion had a daughter. Did he have a wife too? She would not have grabbed his hand earlier if she'd known he was a taken man.

Fastion now stood in the doorway, the little girl in his arms. Gazing at Karigan, eyes full of innocence and curiosity, the child asked, "Who is your friend?"

Girl in arms, Fastion walked over to introduce them. "Lily, this is Karigan."

Lily, who was suddenly no longer sleepy, scrambled out of Fastion's arms and rushed up to Karigan. Stopping so they stood bare toes to expensive dress shoes, the little girl tugged on Karigan's hand. Karigan smiled affectionately and bent down to talk to her.

With a very serious expression, Lily asked, "Are you the King's Knight?"

Karigan glanced at Fastion, who had become very still since the little girl had approached her.

Turning back to her questioner, Karigan nodded slowly, "I am one of the King's messengers and the King has knighted me for my service."

"I knew it! There can't be that many Karigan's with dark, pretty hair." She beamed at her own intelligence. "Uncle Fastion has told me so much about you."

So this wasn't his daughter after all. She looked up at 'Uncle Fastion'. Avoiding her eyes, he rubbed his neck and said, "Lily, why don't we go put you back to bed?" It was more of an order than a suggestion and Lily's shoulders slumped in defeat. Before leaving the room, she asked, "Will you come visit me again?"

She looked so sincere and hopeful; it was hard not to like this girl. "You'll have to ask your uncle."

Turning to him for an answer, he just replied, "We'll talk about it later," and led her from the room.

When he returned, he asked if she wanted tea and set about filling the pan to boil water.

Many people thought Weapons were always quiet, but Karigan had spent enough time with this one to know that this wasn't a comfortable silence. As he turned back towards her, she noticed that he was holding his shoulders stiffly. It was almost like he was embarrassed.

Better just to confront the tension than to let it sit there forever. "So, you've been talking about me." His chest stopped moving as he waited for her next comment. He had told his niece about her 'pretty brown hair'. "My hair is turning grey you know."

Reassured by her response, he continued breathing and crossed his arms to disagree, "It's merely a patch of white and I know it was caused by a head injury." Here he paused before explaining, "I'm gone at the castle so frequently; Lily always asks to hear my stories of the place. So I describe the people and give her a glimpse at some of my duties there."

"Who does she spend time with when you're away?"

"Mostly my landlady, who has several children of her own and gives them daily lessons."

Karigan reflected on how surreal this situation was. Because of all her strange experiences, Karigan had begun to wonder if she could ever have a normal life like her father and mother had enjoyed. Yet here was Fastion, who seemed absurdly large in such a tiny kitchen and he was making her tea. It wasn't exactly normal to have a deadly warrior catering to you, but it was rather homey.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

They had been talking for a while, but when she didn't answer his latest question, he turned to find her leaning over the table, head resting on her arm with eyes closed.

She jolted awake when he touched her shoulder. "Shh, it's ok, it's me." After the reassurance her body relaxed again. Fastion debated leaving her there and quickly decided against it. There was only one adult-sized bed in the house, so he picked her up and walked towards his bedroom.

*o*o*o*o*

Karigan was first aware of the softness. She wasn't in her straw bed. She wasn't sleeping on the ground. It was so comfortable she knew the mattress must be feather. The thought was exhilarating and she snuggled deeper into the blankets. Never again did she want to sleep in a forest, not when such comforts existed. And the smell…Then her mind snapped fully awake. She was in someone else's bed. She moved and saw a long white sleeve covering her arm. Sitting up fully, she saw that she wasn't wearing her own clothing, but a male's large dress shirt. It only came to her thighs and her legs were bare beneath. Looking down at her attire made her blush. She didn't remember anything after resting her head on the table and knew that Fastion must have undressed her for bed. The experience was more intimate than anything else she'd ever done with a man and SHE HADN'T EVEN BEEN AWAKE. With a weird feeling of disappointment, she went in search of her own clothing. When she found the dress, she couldn't blame Fastion for taking it off before letting her sleep in his bed. The chest of the finely woven satin was flecked with blood and the bottom appeared to have been soaked through. Her inspection ended when she turned it over and saw how it was utterly ruined. Instead of figuring out how to untie the complicated corset, it looks like Fastion had just cut it apart. Wryly she said, "Well there goes the hope of ever wearing that again."

With nothing else to wear, she left the bedroom and walked down the narrow hallway. She could hear food being prepared and the smell was making her mouth water. She stopped in the Kitchen's entrance, to watch her hosts. Lily stood beside her uncle, giving the much larger person strict preparation instructions. The image was so comical and endearing Karigan couldn't break it. So she stood there until Lily noticed her.

"Karigan!" She exclaimed and bounded over to her newest friend exclaiming, "I made you breakfast. Well, Uncle Fastion helped too I guess."

Karigan smiled down at the beaming young face and assured her, "I'm sure it's going to be great." Then she looked up at Fastion, "He's lucky he has such a good helper."

Fastion looked down at the little girl, "Lily, run downstairs and see if Mrs. Applebalm is willing to watch you this morning."

Lily's shoulder's slumped and as she walked away, Karigan could hear her complaining about being sent away again. Karigan watched as Fastion watched the child disappear from view, then he looked at her. She was suddenly very aware of how the morning air felt on her bare legs. The shirt sleeves came down to her knuckles and she toyed with them, as they looked at each other.

He gulped and after gazing down at her once, she noted how he resolutely fixed his eyes on her face. "You look good." He blurted. His tan cheeks took on a red hue.

She walked towards him and when she was close, stopped. Holding his gaze, she raised an eyebrow and accused, "You undressed me."

She saw his throat work as he swallowed. His eyes didn't leave her face. In a voice that had become strained, he stated, "It was either the shirt or you were going to be sleeping in your underclothes."

"I'm curious. Did you join me in bed?"

He swallowed again. "I slept on the floor."

She reached up to run her hand down his cheek. His eyes fluttered as if they wanted to close, but he continued to stare at her. However, when she pulled his head down to meet hers, he didn't resist. The kiss was reluctant at first, but when he ran his hands down her waist, she wrapped both arms around his neck. Her body rubbed close against his and he groaned deep in his throat, grabbed her and lifted. Instinctively wrapping her legs around him, she rested her weight on his hips. He backed her up against the wall and the kiss became more intense.

Just then a voice rang through the house. "Uncle Fastion!" Groaning, they each leaned their heads back. Slightly breathless, he yelled back, "What'd she say Lily?"

"That it was fine. And that I should just yell up to you. And that I wasn't supposed to go upstairs. And that I was to come straight back. And not interrupt you and Karigan."

Karigan leaned her head back against the wall and shook with silent laughter.

"All right. Go play with the other kids, I'll see you later."

When they heard the light footsteps run back out the front door, Fastion rested his head on Karigan's shaking shoulder and he joined her in laughing.

After a minute, she regained some control over herself. Still chuckling, she unwrapped her legs and lowered herself back to the ground. Karigan stepped back and said in a more serious voice, "We really should stop. I need to find some clothing. You butchered my last pair."

Equally serious, he said, "I really don't mind how you're dressed now."

It surprised another laugh out of her. "No doubt, but I insist we find me some clothing."


End file.
